THREE snaps.

All that brought me back to my senses.

"I'm losing you, Mister Burrow. . . " he said, swaying the pen he was holding in front of my face.

I slightly shook my head and returned my attention to the officer talking to me. His eyes were on me, and he never wanted to look away. As he was holding a pen and a pad in his hand, I knew I'd be here for the rest of the night.

"It would be better if you'd come with me to the station."

I looked back and turned around to see where it all began. A lot of things had happened and I was a part of it and now that they were coming at me as if I did something bad, I knew this would be the end of my peaceful life. This would be all over the news and people would see me as a villain—but I'm not.

I shifted my head back to the officer and nodded to confirm it. "Yes, sir. . . I will. . ."

"Alright, come with me. . ." he said, and I followed him, leaving all the past behind.

***

TEN MONTHS EARLIER. . .

"Happy birthday, Bitchy Mitchell!" Bailey excitedly greeted, holding a glass of champagne in her hand. 

"Thank you, Bai. I appreciate this surprise."

"Ano ka ba, we've been planning to do this since a few months ago!" dagdag pa ni Patty. "One we were thinking before na mag-out of town na lang tayo dahil alam kong matagal-tagal ka na rin hindi nakapag-beach."

Napangisi naman ako sa sinabi niya. "Ay, hindi mo sure."

Nanlaki ang mata niya sa tugon ko at hinampas ako nang mahina sa braso ko. "Hoy! Grabe ka talaga. Hindi mo naman kami isinama?"

"Biglaan 'yon, girl!" aniko. "Niyaya lang ako nang nakausap ko sa Grindr kung bet ko raw bang sumama sa outing nila sa La Union. E, hindi naman bakasyon ang hanap ko, pero sabi niya he'd like to do something extreme. Sumama ako. Exhibitionist pala si kuya mo, ha? Ginulat ako no'n."

Humalakhak naman sa tawa ang dalawa. "You always caught up with extreme guys, you know that? Kulang na lang bayuhin ka sa gitna ng kalsada, e."

Hindi naman mapigilang tumawa. "Putang ina mo, girl. Ang lala no'n. Hindi naman ako asal aso para gawin 'yon. I would still keep it lie low, pero 'yong may thrill? Alam mo 'yon? Tago-tago sa damuhan."

"Ibang klase 'yang sex life mo, Mitch! Hindi ko kinakaya!" Tawa pa ni Bailey habang umiiling-iling at nakahawak ang kamay sa sentido. "Ikaw lang ata itong kilala kong super vocal din sa ganap niya sa buhay. Now that you're twenty-four, ang wish ko lang para sa 'yo ay ang perfect one for you."

Napanguso naman ako sa wish niya. "I was expecting something, Bai! Akala ko i-wi-wish mo sa akin na more boys to come, pero keri na rin. Kung dumating 'yang perfect one for me, sana ako rin ang perfect one for him."

"I'm sure you'll find that one soon! Kung hindi man ngayon, baka sa susunod na araw?"

"Ay, bet ko 'yan! O baka sa mga susunod na oras. . . Alam mo na, this day wouldn't be completed kung walang birthday sex!"

Napahalakhak na lang sila sa sinabi ko. It would've been fun to hook up with someone tonight. It has been a tradition for me whenever my birthday comes. I partied with my friends in the afternoon until the evening and would be hooking up with someone from late night until dawn. I've never hooked up with the same guy. I don't do that. Kapag natikman ko na, I would go for the next time, but if the guy was my type, maybe I would do a second round. Nothing hurts more than going for round two.

"Hey, girls and Mitch!" Napatigil kaming tatlo sa pag-uusap nang biglang dumating si Cole sa kusina. He's Patty boyfriend and I believe they've been together for a weeks now.

"Yes, babe?" Patty queried.

"Someone's at the door," anito. "I think he wanted to talk to you, Mitch."

"Oh, ako? Bakit? Was it someone I know?"

Napakibit ng balikat si Cole. "I have no idea, but the man's out there waiting for you. You should go and see him."

"Hm. . . It's too early for hook-ups, but I guess, I'll take this on, girls. . . Wait, balikan ko kayo."

Iniwan ko sila panandalian sa kusina habang tumuloy ako papunta sa front door. Nang buksan ko ang pinto ay bumungad sa akin ang isang lalaki na nagpalunok kaagad ng laway ko. I tried not to look down below as it would be so obvious for me to check him out. He was wearing a gray fitted pullover that's why I could see his biceps bulking up on his shirt. He had a beard and a beautiful smile and his prominent white teeth were too noticeable to ignore. His eyes were chestnut brown and they were addictive to look at.

Who is this man?

Wala naman akong natatandaang inimbitahan na katulad niya. He was my type. I would literally fuck him and let be a bottom for him.

"Hi," pagbati nitong nakangiti. "I'm Hayden. . ."

"I'm Mitchell," pagpapakilala ko rin.

"Nice to meet you, Mitchell." As he pulled his hands out from his jeans pocket and there I saw a ring on his finger, I was disappointed. "I'm sorry to be a bother to you, it seemed like I was. . ."

"No worries. . . It's my birthday today and I invited my friends around."

"Oh," his face lightened up as soon as I said it. "Happy birthday to you! What a nice start for me to know you. . . Well, me and my wife will be your new neighbor next to your house."

"Wow! I didn't know someone would move in so soon. . ."

"Yeah. . . I don't want to keep you up here any longer, but I would just like to ask if it would be okay with you to have a truck parked in front of your driveway. I know it was too much to ask, but—"

"No, no, it's fine," I cut him off. "I don't mind. I don't want to be a problem for my neighbors. You can park there all you want, any day. That won't be a problem. I have no car so nothing would come on my way."

"Thank you so much, I appreciate that a lot," he said, smiling at me. He even held my hands once again. His touch was very rugged and manly. I could smell the perfume he used. It was something I'd never smelled from any men I'd been with before. He must've some good tastes. "I'm gonna go back now. . . I hope you'll have a wonderful day, Mitchel. . ."

"Thank you, you too. . . Er. . ."

"Hayden," he said, chuckling. "You'll remember it next time. See you around."

As he turned around and walked off my front porch, sinundan ko naman siya ng tingin papunta sa kabilang bahay kung saan sila titira. The house they would be moving into has been vacant for a few weeks since the last homeowners moved out to go to live in another city. I didn't realize someone would move in quickly.

I get back inside joining Patty and Bailey who are in the living room now. Umupo naman ako sa gitna nilang dalawa. I knew by the looks they were giving me, that they needed some scoop on what happened out there.

"Anong meron? Hindi mo pinapasok?" tanong pa ni Patty sabay inom sa kanyang beer can.

"Well, he wasn't originally a person I invited. He just moved next house."

Nanlaki naman ang mata niya sa sinabi ko. "He? Lalaki? Omg. It's about time, girl!" sabi pa ni Bailey.

"Gaga, hindi! May singing siya and he just explicitly told me he has a wife. They were—"

Hindi nila tinapos ang sasabihin ko nang magmadali silang pumunta sa bintana habang tinatanaw ang bagong lipat kong mag-asawang kapitbahay. Sinundan ko naman sila at sumilip din ako. May blinds naman kaya hindi nila gaanong mapapansin 'yon. Hinintay naman naming lumabas ang lalaki, pero ang una naming nakita ay ang babae.

"Uy, blonde," komento ni Patty. "Sexy rin. . . Mukhang malaki ang boobs. I think kaya pinili dahil perfect package."

"Ilang taon na kaya silang kasal? Sinabi ba sa 'yo, Mitch?"

"Ba't naman sasabihin sa akin 'yon?" aniko. "Echosera ka talaga, Bailey. Hindi ko rin naman tinanong 'yon, 'no. . ."

Saglit lang din naman ay lumabas ang lalaki. Nag-usap silang dalawa panandalian at hinalikan nito sa labi ang asawa saka ipinagpatuloy ang pagbubuhat ng mga gamit mula sa sasakyan papasok sa loob ng kanilang bahay.

"Yummy," komento ni Bailey. "Very daddy. . ."

"Mga adik kayo," aniko. "'Wag niyo nga pagnasahan 'yang kapitbahay ko, alam niyo namang may asawa na, e."

"Sus, Mitch!" ani Bailey. "Parang hindi namin alam na fetish mo ang mga married men, e. O king hindi man married, e, 'yong may jowa."

"Hoy, grabe ka naman sa akin. That only happened once. . ." Minata nila ako sa sinabi ko. "Twice. . . Sige na, many times. . . Pero, hindi ko naman alam in the first place. Saka lang sila umaamin kapag nakaraos na sila. I thought it was fun and exciting, but I always ask my hook ups kung in a relationship sila or not dahil ayoko pa rin naman makasira ng relationship ng ibang tao."

"Well, sayang 'to. . . Yummy ng built ng katawan."

"Loka ka. . ." saway ko, but I could already feel something inside me na gusto kong gawin sa kanya.

Nang umalis kami sa pagsilip sa bintana nang magyaya ang boyfriend ni Patty na lumabas kami dahil may alam siyang bar na magugustuhan ko. Pumayag naman ang lahat. Wala namang problema sa akin kaya naghanda na rin kaming lahat na umalis.

Pagkalabas ko ng bahay ay naabutan namin si Hayden na nagbubuhat ng gamit. Binati naman niya ako at kung saan man kam magpupunta ay mag-enjoy ako. As we walked away ay para bang gusto ko nang umuwi bigla at sumilip muli sa bintana. I've never had a hot neighbor living next door, too bad he's married, but just like what I did in the past, I could forget about the part where he was married.

If there is a chance, I'll take it. And his wife would never find out about it. Oh, how I wish.

***